 "Dhaka has urgently called back its High Commissioner to India, M. Riaz Hamidullah.")
Dhaka has urgently called back its High Commissioner to India, M. Riaz Hamidullah , a clear signal that things are not going smoothly between India and Bangladesh. The development was first reported by leading Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo, quoting diplomatic sources.
The recall comes at a moment when relations between the two neighbours are going through one of their toughest phases in years, with tensions simmering on multiple fronts.
Diplomatic sources say Hamidullah landed in Dhaka late on Sunday night after being summoned back from New Delhi. Officially, the government has described this as a “consultative recall,” a phrase often used in diplomacy to keep things measured. In practice, however, such recalls usually point to growing friction or the need for a serious rethink in how the relationship is being handled.
On paper, the envoy has been called in for briefings on recent developments. But the timing tells a bigger story. Over the past few weeks, Delhi and Dhaka have been locked in a cycle of tit-for-tat diplomatic exchanges, with both sides repeatedly summoning each other’s envoys to lodge protests.
Ties under strain
Relations have been under pressure since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024. In the last fortnight alone, tensions have sharpened noticeably.
India has voiced “grave concern” over the security of minorities in Bangladesh , pointing specifically to the mob lynching of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh. Dhaka, in turn, has pushed back hard, summoning India’s High Commissioner to protest what it describes as “violent demonstrations” by extremist groups outside Bangladeshi missions in New Delhi and Siliguri.
Also read | ‘We reject exaggerated narratives’: Bangladesh pushes back on India’s comments on treatment of minorities
What’s the bigger diplomatic mess?
The standoff goes well beyond formal protests. Bangladesh is pressing India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in India, while also grappling with domestic unrest following the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi.
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View AllAdd to that partially suspended visa services and increasingly sharp public rhetoric on both sides, and Hamidullah’s recall looks less like routine diplomacy and more like preparation for a tougher phase ahead.